Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Trivium Tuesdays - Classical Link-Up #135


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Welcome to another week of Trivium Tuesdays!  For those of you who are new here today, this is a link-up aimed at encouraging and informing other homeschoolers who use the Classical model of teaching.  Here we can share with each other and learn from one another.



Don't forget to follow my Pinterest boards that are a part of the All Things Classical List!

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Also, please remember to only link up posts that have to do with homeschooling using the classical model of education.  Thank you for understanding this link-up's theme.


Featured Post from Last Week




I've been thinking a lot about literature lately, so this post from Aspired Living caught my eye!  She recommends Teaching the Classics, which I've been trying to find out more about.  I'd love to hear your opinion if you've used it or another Literature program/guide that you enjoy!


This Week's Link-Up


Here are the rules:
  • Your post must have to do (in some way) with classical homeschooling (any age children).
  • Your post may be from your archives as long as you only post it one time on this link-up.
  • Please link to your direct post, not your blog in general.
  • Please link back to this post in some way. You can use my Trivium Tuesdays button (found on my right sidebar) if you'd like so others can learn about this link-up! Button code: <a href="http://www.livingandlearningathome.com/" target="_blank" title="Trivium Tuesdays"><img alt="Living and Learning at Home" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bYsfMVF9tdI6haQLUiZ1rvZIf1kDaqnjHIOJA46X62tWXnlPDkU-5OqujsZyjoDp39J7dbhUx9CRFPyV991_BapG9dHciT8osyXwMtDtG6mV_TDyoECv_e5-oKFc2ZavhE4Ds9rj_8Kn/s1600/Trivium+Tuesdays+-+button.png"/></a>
  • It may be helpful to state in your link description what stage of the trivium or what subject your post is about, if applicable, so others can easily find posts they are interested in looking at.
  • Remember, everyone loves comments =) So don't be shy, and tell someone if you liked their post!


I reserve the right to remove any link-up that does not have to do with classical homeschooling.         

If you are a regular here at Trivium Tuesdays and have something to share that is a little off topic, but still would be an encouragement to the readers here, please still share it =)  I'm referring to people who are just trying to get their blog more exposure without following the rules above.

I will visit each of your blogs this week and feature my favorite link-up for all to see next week!  Also, if your blog has a button I will place it on my sidebar (under Friends to Visit) for the week until it is replaced by the next week's favorite =)


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Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Trivium Tuesdays - Classical Link-Up #134


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Welcome to another week of Trivium Tuesdays!  For those of you who are new here today, this is a link-up aimed at encouraging and informing other homeschoolers who use the Classical model of teaching.  Here we can share with each other and learn from one another.



Don't forget to follow my Pinterest boards that are a part of the All Things Classical List!

 photo AllThingsClassical-titlepic_zps4a3485e7.png

Also, please remember to only link up posts that have to do with homeschooling using the classical model of education.  Thank you for understanding this link-up's theme.


Featured Post from Last Week



I love these tips from True Aim Education!  Whether you have trouble teaching history or not, these are great principles and line up perfectly with classical education.  Do you have any to add?


This Week's Link-Up


Here are the rules:
  • Your post must have to do (in some way) with classical homeschooling (any age children).
  • Your post may be from your archives as long as you only post it one time on this link-up.
  • Please link to your direct post, not your blog in general.
  • Please link back to this post in some way. You can use my Trivium Tuesdays button (found on my right sidebar) if you'd like so others can learn about this link-up! Button code: <a href="http://www.livingandlearningathome.com/" target="_blank" title="Trivium Tuesdays"><img alt="Living and Learning at Home" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bYsfMVF9tdI6haQLUiZ1rvZIf1kDaqnjHIOJA46X62tWXnlPDkU-5OqujsZyjoDp39J7dbhUx9CRFPyV991_BapG9dHciT8osyXwMtDtG6mV_TDyoECv_e5-oKFc2ZavhE4Ds9rj_8Kn/s1600/Trivium+Tuesdays+-+button.png"/></a>
  • It may be helpful to state in your link description what stage of the trivium or what subject your post is about, if applicable, so others can easily find posts they are interested in looking at.
  • Remember, everyone loves comments =) So don't be shy, and tell someone if you liked their post!


I reserve the right to remove any link-up that does not have to do with classical homeschooling.         

If you are a regular here at Trivium Tuesdays and have something to share that is a little off topic, but still would be an encouragement to the readers here, please still share it =)  I'm referring to people who are just trying to get their blog more exposure without following the rules above.

I will visit each of your blogs this week and feature my favorite link-up for all to see next week!  Also, if your blog has a button I will place it on my sidebar (under Friends to Visit) for the week until it is replaced by the next week's favorite =)


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Monday, November 17, 2014

Games for Boys Who Like to Think - Christmas Gift Ideas!

 This post contains affiliate links.

Christmas time is quickly approaching and I've been trying to think of gift ideas for my kids.  Are you doing the same?  One of my children is a boy who loves to figure out how things work.  Me doesn't necessarily like a challenge when it comes to school work...or chores...but he does when it comes to games!  He always asks me to play games like Risk and Chess with him.  Those games are fine, but I've been looking for some others that might be good Christmas gifts.  I thought I would share with you some of our favorites and also some new ones that I have on my wish list!



Betcha Can't Win

I received this game recently from Simply Fun and it was an instant hit!  My favorite part?  It comes with 24 beautiful dice =)  I'm not sure why I like that so much.  In this game, each person rolls all 6 of their dice and tries to add the numbers up to match numbers on the card.  There is strategy involved because you can steal cards from other players and you can split your dice by putting some on one card and some on another.  My son asks to play this all the time.  I like that you could also tweak the rules and have your child use other math operations (like multiplication or subtraction) to make the game more difficult as your child grows.  Highly recommended!



Catan Junior

Have you enjoyed playing Settlers of Catan with your friends?  Have you tried this junior version with your kids?  It is rated perfectly on Amazon, and I'm looking forward to getting it to play with my son!





Enchanted Forest

Another great game that mixes strategy with memory!  In this game, you are searching for treasures in the forest and making your way to and from the castle.  Fun for the whole family!



Simon

This is a classic!  Did you have Simon as a kid?  It seems so simple, but it is an amazing brain stretcher.  The only downside is that it is noisy =)




SET

I remember playing this in elementary school!  You place out a grid of cards and each player searches for as many sets as they can.  The tricky part is that the sets can be made in different ways.  It sounds simple, but it is really challenging!




Ticket to Ride

This game is wonderful because it combines strategy with history, geography, and just plain fun!  What boy doesn't like trains?  =)  Plus, you can get different versions and expansion packs so you can pick a time frame or region that appeals to your child!






Gravity Maze 

Physics...Logic...Building...Marbles...Fun!  This game looks awesome.  I love that it grows with your child, too.  It starts with easy cards and then gets more challenging.  We haven't tried this one, but it gets rated perfectly and it's on my list!







I hope this gives you some good ideas!

 

What are your favorite games?



 

 

 

Saturday, November 15, 2014

The Liberal Arts - The Nexus Between Imitation and Knowledge

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This post contains an affiliate link to the book we are discussing.

Oh, how I am excited to be discussing The Liberal Arts Tradition with you!  Why am I so excited?  It is because in the past six months I feel like my eyes are being opened to a greater understanding of classical education, but I know that I still have so much more to learn.  This book is going to help me (and you, hopefully!) gain some of that knowledge.


The Arts vs The Sciences


When most people think of classical education, they think of the trivium.  A few weeks ago, we discovered how the trivium is just a small part of classical education.  Remember?  The trivium, along with the quadrivium make up the seven liberal arts, and the liberal arts is only one of six aspects of classical education (discussed in this book, anyways).

The next two chapters will go into detail about the trivium and quadrivium, but first the book explains what makes something an art.


"{Thomas Aquinas} stands at the beginning of the medieval tradition which taught the liberal arts as preparatory for the studies of philosophy and theology.  Aquinas described them as the tools by which knowledge is fashioned."  pg 30-31


I think that is a wonderful way of looking at the liberal arts.  So, essentially, as we teach our students we are giving them tools.  That is a freeing thought =)  If we don't get our children to remember every detail that we put in front of them, it is ok!   We are preparing them for further study.

So what exactly is an art?  This chapter distinguishes art from science by explaining that an art produces something, while a science is strictly the knowledge of something.  These definitions are obviously different than our modern categories of art and science.  It takes a little time to let your brain settle on these wider definitions.

Before we can produce something, though, we must imitate the greats.

"One of the ancient maxims in education was 'imitation precedes art.'  An art could only be attained from an extensive foundation in action and imitation forming cultivated habits."  pg. 31


I think our current model of classical education does a great job emphasizing this.  We do copywork to learn to imitate great writing, we study great artists and imitate their styles of painting, we read great literature and copy their styles in order to produce great works of our own.

Once we have imitated extensively, we can combine that practice with the knowledge we have obtained through science and produce art.  Art is imitation joined with reason.


Why the Liberal Arts?



So what is the point?  Why are the liberal arts so important?  The liberal arts are the vehicles by which we produce reason.  We could have great amounts of knowledge stored up in our heads, but if we cannot get that out for others to benefit from, it is of no use.  We learn to express our selves through poetry and persuasion, and to justify knowledge through experimentation and logic.

Going back to what we said earlier, that an art is something that produces something, you might ask what exactly the liberal arts are producing.  On page 32 it says,


"It is the liberal arts alone whose good produced in knowledge...the liberal arts would have been the seven ways in which knowledge was justified."


This book continues to give us lots of food for thought!  I have certainly never thought about classical education in this way before.  It is making me rethink some of the ways that I am teaching, though I don't have any great answers yet =)



Have you made any changes in the structure of your homeschool because of The Liberal Arts Tradition?






Thanks for reading along this week!  What did you think of this chapter?  Leave comments here on the blog post, or share about it on social media (#ClassicalMamasRead).  I'll be sharing too, so follow me on facebook, twitter, or google+ and we can chat about it there as well!  Don't forget, if you want to share your thoughts about Home Education on your own blog, link it up below so we can all come and visit!

Next time we will look at the trivium in The Liberal Arts Tradition.  If you haven't gotten your own copy yet, make sure you grab a copy so you can join in on our discussions soon!



Classical Mamas Read Link-Up



Did you write about The Liberal Arts Tradition on your blog?  Have you been reading and blogging about another book (for you, not a children's book)?  Do you have a book club going on at your blog (once again, not for a children's book)?  I'd love for you link up here so we can all be encouraged by each other and maybe find another great book to read!

I'm going to keep this link-up ongoing since there aren't going to be a huge number of posts and then anyone new will be able to be encouraged by the other book reading ideas and discussions.  If the number of posts gets too large, I will fix it.

Please note, all posts must be on topic (about a book you are reading) and appropriate (think family friendly).

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Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Trivium Tuesdays - Classical Link-Up #133


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Welcome to another week of Trivium Tuesdays!  For those of you who are new here today, this is a link-up aimed at encouraging and informing other homeschoolers who use the Classical model of teaching.  Here we can share with each other and learn from one another.



Don't forget to follow my Pinterest boards that are a part of the All Things Classical List!

 photo AllThingsClassical-titlepic_zps4a3485e7.png

Also, please remember to only link up posts that have to do with homeschooling using the classical model of education.  Thank you for understanding this link-up's theme.


Featured Post from Last Week



Have your kids read Pilgrim's Progress yet?  It is a really great book, and Intoxicated on Life is offering a FREE study guide today only! (Tomorrow it will cost $7.49.)  This would be great to go with your literature studies if you have a teenager, or if you will have one someday =)



This Week's Link-Up


Here are the rules:
  • Your post must have to do (in some way) with classical homeschooling (any age children).
  • Your post may be from your archives as long as you only post it one time on this link-up.
  • Please link to your direct post, not your blog in general.
  • Please link back to this post in some way. You can use my Trivium Tuesdays button (found on my right sidebar) if you'd like so others can learn about this link-up! Button code: <a href="http://www.livingandlearningathome.com/" target="_blank" title="Trivium Tuesdays"><img alt="Living and Learning at Home" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bYsfMVF9tdI6haQLUiZ1rvZIf1kDaqnjHIOJA46X62tWXnlPDkU-5OqujsZyjoDp39J7dbhUx9CRFPyV991_BapG9dHciT8osyXwMtDtG6mV_TDyoECv_e5-oKFc2ZavhE4Ds9rj_8Kn/s1600/Trivium+Tuesdays+-+button.png"/></a>
  • It may be helpful to state in your link description what stage of the trivium or what subject your post is about, if applicable, so others can easily find posts they are interested in looking at.
  • Remember, everyone loves comments =) So don't be shy, and tell someone if you liked their post!


I reserve the right to remove any link-up that does not have to do with classical homeschooling.         

If you are a regular here at Trivium Tuesdays and have something to share that is a little off topic, but still would be an encouragement to the readers here, please still share it =)  I'm referring to people who are just trying to get their blog more exposure without following the rules above.

I will visit each of your blogs this week and feature my favorite link-up for all to see next week!  Also, if your blog has a button I will place it on my sidebar (under Friends to Visit) for the week until it is replaced by the next week's favorite =)


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Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Fast Transcripts Giveaway- Trivium Tuesdays #132


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Welcome to another week of Trivium Tuesdays!  For those of you who are new here today, this is a link-up aimed at encouraging and informing other homeschoolers who use the Classical model of teaching.  Here we can share with each other and learn from one another.


I've got something extra special for you today...a GIVEAWAY!

Today's link-up is sponsored by Fast Transcripts.  If you have a high school child, I'm sure that record keeping is on your mind!  Fast Transcripts let homeschool parents create professional high school transcripts, and it even calculates your child's GPA.

More than that, Fast Transcripts stores your transcript so you can update records and then when you are finished with it, you can have it printed on watermark protected, academic record stock.


The amount of stress it will save you coupled with the professional results, makes Fast Transcripts more than worth the price!  You can get a:

  • 1 year membership (1 student) for just $16
  • 1 year membership (up to 10 students) for just $30 
  • Lifetime Family membership (up to 10 students) for just $110

Are you a member of the HSLDA?  You get Fast Transcripts at a discounted price!


If you would like to try it out first, sign up for a FREE 30 day trial.



If you have a child in high school, take a minute to enter to win a one year, single student membership to Fast Transcripts!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now onto the link-up!


Featured Post from Last Week



Keeping with our upper-level theme this year, I'm featuring the post Ambleside Online Year 7 Review from Journey and Destination.  I have never used Ambleside as a resource, but I have heard lovely things about it!  If you have kids approaching the middle grades, or just want a glimpse into what is to come, check out this post!


This Week's Link-Up


Here are the rules:
  • Your post must have to do (in some way) with classical homeschooling (any age children).
  • Your post may be from your archives as long as you only post it one time on this link-up.
  • Please link to your direct post, not your blog in general.
  • Please link back to this post in some way. You can use my Trivium Tuesdays button (found on my right sidebar) if you'd like so others can learn about this link-up! Button code: <a href="http://www.livingandlearningathome.com/" target="_blank" title="Trivium Tuesdays"><img alt="Living and Learning at Home" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bYsfMVF9tdI6haQLUiZ1rvZIf1kDaqnjHIOJA46X62tWXnlPDkU-5OqujsZyjoDp39J7dbhUx9CRFPyV991_BapG9dHciT8osyXwMtDtG6mV_TDyoECv_e5-oKFc2ZavhE4Ds9rj_8Kn/s1600/Trivium+Tuesdays+-+button.png"/></a>
  • It may be helpful to state in your link description what stage of the trivium or what subject your post is about, if applicable, so others can easily find posts they are interested in looking at.
  • Remember, everyone loves comments =) So don't be shy, and tell someone if you liked their post!


I reserve the right to remove any link-up that does not have to do with classical homeschooling.         

If you are a regular here at Trivium Tuesdays and have something to share that is a little off topic, but still would be an encouragement to the readers here, please still share it =)  I'm referring to people who are just trying to get their blog more exposure without following the rules above.

I will visit each of your blogs this week and feature my favorite link-up for all to see next week!  Also, if your blog has a button I will place it on my sidebar (under Friends to Visit) for the week until it is replaced by the next week's favorite =)


 photo SubscribeButton_zpsdc17ac56.png


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